Know Afrika

  When the European Union (EU) abruptly ended its election monitoring mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), it sent shockwaves across the diplomatic community. The EU faced insurmountable obstacles preventing the deployment of its observers across the large country, citing unforeseen "technical" restrictions. The EU spokesperson, Nabila Massrali, cited "security reasons" as the main obstacle, making the mission unfeasible in the current environment. The EU was forced to terminate the mission entirely due to the severe lack of essential communication equipment, which made matters worse. The DRC's parliamentary and presidential elections, scheduled for December 20, are in doubt due to the EU's abrupt withdrawal from the observer mission. The country, which is home to roughly 100 million people, is currently facing serious issues about the legitimacy and impartiality of the electoral process. The 60-year-old president Félix Tshisekedi is consid...

  In a landmark development, the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) have solidified their commitment to a Human Rights Pact, marking the latest collaborative effort between the two entities. The seventh high-level meeting in New York witnessed the formalization of this agreement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat. This significant pact, focusing on human rights, adds to previous agreements addressing peace, security, and development, highlighting an intensified commitment to mutual cooperation. During interactions with the media, both Guterres and Faki underscored the necessity for a restructuring of global financial systems to better align with contemporary realities. Guterres drew attention to Africa's demand for justice in international relations, citing historical structural injustices that have marginalized the continent on the global stage. Faki painted a stark picture of Africa's challenges, describing i...

 More than 50 Premier League players face potential call-ups for both the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, with ramifications for their respective clubs. As January and February unfold, some Premier League sides may have to navigate through up to four matches without key African and Asian players, posing challenges for team dynamics. While powerhouses like Newcastle United and Manchester City may remain largely unaffected, teams like Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester United could contend with the absence of up to four players during the tournaments. The actual impact hinges on the progress of each country in the competition, with players from teams eliminated early likely to miss only two Premier League fixtures. Nevertheless, the potential absence of crucial players, rather than the sheer number, could prove decisive in determining the competitive landscape. The 2023 AFCON garners significant attention due to the notable contingent of Premier Le...

  In a groundbreaking move, MasterCard has successfully established a state-of-the-art technological infrastructure in South Africa, culminating in the launch of advanced data centers. This strategic development marks a significant step toward fostering more secure and efficient processing of local transactions, contributing substantially to the modernization of South Africa's payments industry. Aligned with the South African Reserve Bank's Vision 2025, the initiative focuses on bolstering the digital ecosystem and promoting the adoption of locally relevant technology. MasterCard's commitment to South Africa extends beyond four decades, showcasing the company's adaptability in the face of an environment that is both robust and continually evolving. Gabriel Swanepoel, MasterCard Southern Africa country manager, emphasized the company's dedication to adding one billion people and 50 million small and microenterprise businesses to the formal digital economy. This forwa...

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the UAE and the CEO of ADNOC, played a key role in the Africa Climate Summit 2023 held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. The summit, attended by African presidents, focused on climate change and environmental priorities. Dr. Al Jaber, set to preside over the upcoming COP28 summit in the UAE, emphasized the urgent need for global collaboration to address the growing challenges posed by climate change. During the summit, Dr. Al Jaber acknowledged the world's insufficient progress in meeting climate goals. He urged collective action and collaboration among African leaders to effectively combat the climate crisis. As the chairman of Masdar, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, he called for a transformation in global climate financing to achieve tangible results in the fight against climate change. In a significant commitment, Dr. Al Jaber announced that the UAE pledges $4.5 bil...

Germany, a key player in Europe's transition to carbon neutrality, has committed to investing $4.37 billion in African green energy projects by 2030. Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced this ambitious pledge during a German-African business forum in Berlin, emphasizing the need for large-scale imports of green hydrogen to achieve Germany's net-zero emissions goal by 2045. The commitment reflects Germany's dual objective of leveraging Africa's rich natural resources and supporting the continent in sustainable development. The announcement unfolded at the precursor forum to the "G20 Compact with Africa" summit, a gathering focused on rallying investment for the world's fastest-growing continent. The summit aims to synchronize the development plans of reform-minded African nations and pinpoint lucrative business opportunities. Although Chancellor Scholz did not unveil specific projects, he underscored the importance of processing materials in the African countri...

In a surprising turn of events, OpenAI's ousted CEO, Sam Altman, is set to make a triumphant return to lead the company. The announcement, made through a post on X, revealed that Altman will head the "new initial board," with Salesforce's former co-CEO, Bret Taylor, as its chairman. This development seems to bring an end to the recent turmoil within OpenAI, with implications for the evolving landscape of generative artificial intelligence. The real winner in this shakeup appears to be Microsoft, OpenAI's largest shareholder. Despite the initial uncertainty surrounding Altman's role, a post by Microsoft's Satya Nadella on Monday hinted at Altman joining the tech giant to lead a new AI research division. Although OpenAI employees threatened to leave if the board didn't resign and reinstate Altman, Microsoft's significant influence, backed by a promised $13 billion investment, secures its control over the future direction of OpenAI. While Altman emerg...